Case Master: Federal Police investigates suspicions of defamation and obstruction of justice in digital offensive against the Central Bank.

247 - The Federal Police (PF) is investigating suspicions of defamation and obstruction of justice in an inquiry that is looking into the actions of digital influencers suspected of promoting coordinated attacks against the Central Bank (BC). The investigation seeks to clarify whether there was a deliberate attempt to misinform public opinion and interfere with the progress of criminal investigations related to the Banco Master case.

According to the journalist's column Camila BomfimAccording to G1, based on the evidence gathered so far, investigators are assessing whether there is evidence of crimes associated with the production and dissemination of content that questioned the Central Bank's decision to liquidate Banco Master, suggesting that the measure was premature or mistaken.

Evidence of defamation and misinformation.

According to the Federal Police, the suspicion is that digital influencers received financial resources to carry out a coordinated offensive against the Central Bank. The publications analyzed so far allegedly aimed to discredit the regulatory body, attributing undue responsibility to it in the liquidation process of the financial institution. For investigators, this type of attack may constitute the crime of defamation, as it damages the reputation of a technical body responsible for supervising the national financial system.

Suspected attempt to obstruct justice.

In addition to defamation, the investigation is also assessing the possibility of obstruction of justice. In this case, the focus of the investigation is to verify whether there was an attempt to influence the Judiciary by discrediting the Central Bank, with the aim of interfering with the course of criminal investigations.

Based on Article 2 of the Law on Criminal Organizations, attempting to impede or obstruct investigations can be punished with imprisonment from three to eight years, in addition to a fine, even when the action does not achieve the intended result.

Defense denies Vorcaro's involvement in campaign against the Central Bank.

 In a statement, Daniel Vorcaro's defense team asserts that "he has no connection whatsoever with the hiring or dissemination of fake news, nor with digital defamation campaigns against public authorities. On the contrary, his defense has reiterated that Vorcaro is the target of a defamatory campaign and the orchestrated and systematic dissemination of false information that has been damaging his reputation in recent months, long before the liquidation of Banco Master."

According to the defense's statement, "Vorcaro has already requested the opening of a specific investigation to determine the origin, authorship, and responsibility for the production and circulation of these false and offensive news items, precisely to dispel undue insinuations and allow for the complete clarification of the facts. The defense remains cooperating with the competent authorities and is available to contribute to the progress of investigations related to this and other aspects of the case."

Supreme Court authorization and next steps in the investigation.

The investigation was authorized by Minister Dias Toffoli, the case's rapporteur at the Supreme Federal Court. The request came from the Federal Police itself, after a preliminary analysis of the posts identified possible evidence of criminal conduct.

The investigation is related to a decision made by the Central Bank last November, following a Federal Police operation against banker Daniel Vorcaro and other members of the board of directors of Banco Master, accused of financial fraud. This week, the courts began the phase of taking depositions from those under investigation.